Fall in Love with Ashland

It’s that time of year again. No, not taxes…yet. That comes later. It’s the gorgeous season of Fall. You know, the time of year when the trees change from their humdrum greens into red, orange and gold colors that just dig into your eyeballs whenever you look outside. Really, it’s not that bad. They don’t dig so much as they gently massage the new colors into your vision and mute the realization that the nights now are longer than the days are. And just think of all the spicy aromas that will be tickling your nostrils soon. Consider the aromas of apples, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg whirling around you in a kaleidoscope of scent and flavor found.

Of course, if your just far too busy or dread thinking of food any earlier than necessary well, I can’t help you. Oh wait, here is something.

20TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF LIGHT (opens Nov. 23)

This twinkly bit of festivity is the period of the season where downtown Ashland shows it’s glitz and glamour for all to see by decorating for the season. Rumor has it, this year there will be more than 1 million lights in total! They will have opening night on November 23 and they even have a tentative schedule which is as follows:

1pm-5pm Plaza Stage Entertainment in downtown Ashland (meaning, the plaza)
5pm Santa’s Parade beginning at the Public Library (support your local libraries) and proceeds down to the Plaza.
5:45pm Grand Illumination (after parade): Santa his holly jolly old self will count down with the audience and flip the switch.
6:15pm-8pm Santa’s Workshop at the Black Swan Theatre (one of the Oregon Shakespear Festival theatres on Pioneer street). Here children of all ages can visit Santa and his lovely wife Mrs. Claus.

Also during the Festival of lights, The Ashland Springs Hotel will be hosting three Storytelling days in their lobby. As of this moment, I do not know what they will be reading or will be doing it but it will be happening on Dec. 4, 11 and 18 from 2:30pm to 4pm.

For the winter months, the Stratford Inn of Ashland will be offering cut rates to guests visiting Ashland. Our busy rate is $170 plus tax per night. We’re offering you prices slashed as far as $90 plus tax per night. If you come in to ski at Mt. Ashland, you’ll see even greater savings because we cut the room rates even lower and sell you ski lift tickets on top of it all. Just call us up and we’ll set up a deal for you! Mt. Ashland is rumored to be opening on November 17. Join us for all the fun. Speaking of the mountain, they are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays of every week. Every Thursday and Friday during January and February they offer Twilight Skiing from 3pm until 9pm. All other operating days they are open 9am until 4pm.

Another interesting draw you may find entertaining is our local ice skating rink that goes by the name of Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink. Their operations schedule is a little more convoluted than Mt. Ashland because they rent out for private and other group functions. You can go to http://www.ashland.or.us/IceRink for more details on pricing and availability.

Calling all Oregon Shakespeare Festival members! Now is the time you can begin ordering your tickets for the 2013 play lineup. Being members you get first pick of times and seating. Once you have those you can give us a call here at the Stratford and make your reservations. Call early because we fill up fast! We’ve got some discounts that we can apply to your reservation throughout the OSF season.

For all the information on the 2013 Oregon Shakespeare Festival Season click here.